Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1927 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R7955 JG-D
2	2	By: Rodriguez of Travis H.B. No. 1927
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to an alert system for notification of the release of toxic
8	8	chemicals by a manufacturing facility.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. The heading to Section 505.017, Health and
11	11	Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 505.017. NOTICE ISSUED UNDER EMERGENCIES; TOXIC
13	13	CHEMICAL EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM.
14	14	SECTION 2. Section 505.017, Health and Safety Code, is
15	15	amended by adding Subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) to read as
16	16	follows:
17	17	(c) If the responsible state agency determines that a
18	18	release will substantially endanger human health or the
19	19	environment, the agency shall, not later than 30 minutes after
20	20	making the determination, notify persons in the area in which the
21	21	facility is located of the release using the alert system
22	22	established under Subsection (d). When the agency determines a
23	23	release is no longer a threat to human health or the environment,
24	24	the agency shall notify persons using the alert system.
25	25	(d) The state emergency response commission shall develop
26	26	and maintain a toxic chemical emergency alert system to notify
27	27	persons in the area in which the facility is located of a release
28	28	that will substantially endanger human health or the environment.
29	29	The commission may partner with other state agencies in developing
30	30	the alert system and shall allow persons to register for a preferred
31	31	method of receiving a message under the alert system. In developing
32	32	the alert system, the commission may use as a model the alert
33	33	systems established by Subchapter L, Chapter 411, Government Code,
34	34	and Section 51.854, Water Code. The alert system must allow a
35	35	person the option of not receiving the alerts on the person's
36	36	notification to the commission.
37	37	(e) The toxic chemical emergency alert system must:
38	38	(1) provide notification through reverse 9-1-1 calls,
39	39	text messages, e-mails, social media, and other instant messaging
40	40	systems; and
41	41	(2) allow the state agency providing the notification
42	42	to modify the notification based on:
43	43	(A) the distance of the release to the person
44	44	receiving the notification; and
45	45	(B) the projected movement of the release.
46	46	(f) An alert issued by the toxic chemical emergency alert
47	47	system must include:
48	48	(1) each area affected by the release, including a
49	49	geographic display of the severity of the threat posed by the
50	50	release;
51	51	(2) a link to an Internet website or other message
52	52	system that maintains current information on each affected area;
53	53	(3) a link to an Internet website or other message
54	54	system that describes a symptom of any illness caused by the release
55	55	that may require emergency medical treatment;
56	56	(4) the chemicals involved in and toxicity of the
57	57	release;
58	58	(5) the projected movement of the release; and
59	59	(6) instructions for protection from exposure to the
60	60	release or for reducing exposure to the release.
61	61	(g) The state emergency response commission shall review
62	62	and modify the toxic chemical emergency alert system, as
63	63	appropriate, every four years.
64	64	SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2019, the state
65	65	emergency response commission, as defined in Section 505.004,
66	66	Health and Safety Code, shall establish the toxic chemical
67	67	emergency alert system as required by Section 505.017, Health and
68	68	Safety Code, as amended by this Act.
69	69	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.